Russian of the Year 2011

On November 3, on the eve of the All-Russian Holiday "National Unity Day," a solemn award ceremony was held in the conference hall of the Presidential Administration for the laureates of the VI National Prize for Public Recognition of the Achievements of Citizens of the Russian Federation "Russian of the Year".

The laureates of 2011, like their predecessors, who were awarded prizes in previous years, were awarded the honorary title of "Russian of the Year" for their significant contribution to the development of the country, as well as outstanding success in their professional activities for the benefit of Russia.

The prize "Russian of the Year" was established on the initiative of the All-Russian public organization "Russian Academy of Business and Entrepreneurship" in 2005, and over the years of its existence such outstanding figures as Patriarch of All Russia Alexy II, Rector of Moscow State University Sadovnichy Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, laureate Nobel Prize Vitaly Ginzburg, Chairman of the Children's Aid Committee, doctor Leonid Roshal, People's Artist of the USSR Galina Vishnevskaya, film director Nikita Mikhalkov, figure skater Irina Rodnina, conductor Vladimir Spivakov, head of the Lenkom Theater Mark Zakharov, CSKA coach Valery Gazzaev, writer Alexander Narodny Solzhenitsyn artist of Russia Sergei Bezrukov, People's Artist of the RSFSR Nikolai Karachentsov, monumental artist Zurab Tsereteli and many others.

The laureates of the National Prize "Russian of the Year" of this year were determined by the respected Expert Council, traditionally headed by the First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Alexander Torshin, which included: Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation N. V. Gerasimova, People's Artist of the USSR I. D. Kobzon, People's Artist of the USSR V. T. Spivakov, editor-in-chief of the Russia Today TV channel M. S. Simonyan, People's Artist of Russia E. V. Mironov, People's Artist of Russia, film director A. I. Surikova, People's Artist of Russia, Chairman of the Board of the Cinema Concern "MOSFILM" K. G. Shakhnazarovb and others. The uniqueness of the competition is that any citizen of the Russian Federation can take part in it, regardless of the type of activity, age, education and place of residence, who has shown an example of worthy performance of official and civic duty and has achieved outstanding success in professional activities for the benefit of Russia.

After a lengthy selection of applications, a lot of work in the regional commissions for the "Russian of the Year" award and voting, the expert commission determined the best people of the Russian state of the outgoing 2011. At a solemn ceremony held in the hall of the Presidential Administration on November 3, they received their crystal awards:

Krikalev Sergey Konstantinovich - Soviet and Russian cosmonaut, Earth record holder for the total time spent in space;

Iksanov Anatoly Gennadievich - General Director of the Bolshoi Theater;

Zaripov Irek Ayratovich - an outstanding athlete, multiple medalist of the Paralympic Games;

Demidova Alla Sergeevna - actress, People's Artist of the USSR, Russia

Hegumen Anatoly Berestov is a well-known children's neuropathologist, doctor of medical sciences, professor, founder of the Counseling Center in the name of Saint Righteous John of Kronstadt.

Zhuk Vadim Anatolyevich - Deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Nizhny Novgorod Region, member of the regional political council of the United Russia party;

Balyasnikov Alexander Gennadievich - rescuer of the emergency rescue squad of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Nizhny Novgorod region;

Dukhova Alla Vladimirovna - professional choreographer, artistic director of the international show-ballet "TODES"

Kanaeva Evgenia Olegovna - Russian athlete, Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics in individual all-around, Honored Master of Sports of Russia;

Fidarov Elbrus Zelimkhanovich - Honored Doctor, Colonel of the Medical Service, past Afghanistan, the Ossetian-Ingush conflict and two Chechen campaigns, holder of the Order of the Red Star;

Count Pyotr Petrovich Sheremetev - architect, philanthropist and public figure;

Yurchenko Stanislav Vladimirovich - Head of the Information Technology Center. Moscow city;

Sunyaev Rashid Alievich - an outstanding Soviet and Russian astrophysicist, scientist, full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Zvyagintsev Andrei Petrovich - Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev, whose picture “Elena” received the jury prize of the “Unusual Look” competition program at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival;

Sluch Mikhail Ilyich - director of secondary school 1060, winner of the competition "Teacher of the Year of Russia" in 2010

The solemn ceremony of awarding the laureates of the prize "Russian of the Year 2011" was opened by the Chorus and Orchestra of the Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army named after A. V. Alexandrova, performing the "Anthem of Russia". The hosts of the holiday, Angelina Vovk and Vladimir Berezin, noted that the presentation of the "Russian of the Year" award is evidence of the high appreciation of the creativity and work of all laureates of 2011, and the interest in the program and the status of this event is increasing every year.

Then the members of the expert commission and distinguished laureates began to rise on the stage one by one. For many of them, such a high recognition and presentation of the award came as a complete surprise. “I am very pleased to be here, but I did not expect this at all and had no idea about anything. I came to start a series of trainings, and then they said that I would be awarded. But for what exactly, I honestly did not have time to figure it out, - admitted the Olympic champion in rhythmic gymnastics Evgenia Kanaeva. - I did not expect to find myself in the company of such famous and talented people, heroes of our country. I am very proud to represent our great country."

The honorary award for outstanding achievements to the Soviet and Russian cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev was presented by the Hero of the Soviet Union, the world's first woman-cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova. The audience gave a standing ovation to the respected laureate and the world's first woman cosmonaut, and at the moment when the Paralympic champion, a man with an iron will and a true love of life and his country, Irek Zaripov, took to the stage to take his diploma tears of pride and joy welled up. “Russian of the Year” - it sounds proudly and very global, - the Paralympic champion shared his impressions. - Of all the people in Russia, they chose me. But they chose not just like that, but for my services to my country, I am proud of myself. My family always support me, but today I flew with an assistant coach to Moscow. Hard flight, Moscow traffic jams, but my family at home are waiting for my return with this honorary award!"

Film director Andrei Zvyagintsev admitted that after the high recognition of his film "Elena" at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year, receiving an award at home is no less pleasant: “To be recognized in our country you need to come from the international arena, unfortunately, but this is true. But I will not compare the pleasure and joy of being recognized there from feelings for being recognized in Russia. It seems to me that this is insignificant and in any case pleasant, especially for a person who is engaged in art, since art is a language that is understandable to everyone."

After the official part, the festive program was continued by the performances of the dance troupe of the Academic Song and Dance Ensemble of the Russian Army named after A. V. Alexandrova, the opera and ballet companies of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater of Russia and the children's choir.“The concert turned out to be truly festive and patriotic, from which I personally and all those present got great pleasure,” said the host Angelina Vovk after the ceremony. - Because, luckily for me, such artists performed here that you will not see on the TV screen, and who, unfortunately, are considered not formatted. But this is the format of our soul. It was very solemn and beautiful, we hope that next year we will have an equally interesting program and a strong list of new laureates.

At the end of the solemn ceremony of honoring "Russians of the Year 2011", First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Alexander Torshin expressed confidence that the award would "continue glorious traditions and help to show the country real heroes of our time - contemporaries, whose deeds are worthy of the same attention as and the accomplishments of great predecessors."